By Jake Burg

The Newtown Nighthawks boys’ hockey team traveled to Taft Rink to play the Watertown/Pomperaug co-op team for the second time in 11 days on Saturday night.

While the opponent was the same, the outcome was entirely different this time around. After winning 5-4 in the first game, the Nighthawks suffered a 9-3 loss, which hurt their state playoff chances. Newtown had a 3-9 record after Saturday’s loss.

“That game was the hardest game we’ve played through this season,” said captain Francis Oggeri.

It got underway with backup goalie Dylan Deselin between the pipes to replace Mitch Bloomberg, who was out of the lineup.

Just 13 seconds into the game the Watertown/Pomperaug Indians scored to set the tone for the game.

The first period saw plenty of Newtown puck control but it didn’t amount to any goals. For the Indians, the story was the exact opposite. Despite not controlling the puck for long durations in the Newtown zone, Watertown/Pomperaug netted two more goals in close succession halfway through the period. Down 3-0, the Nighthawks were struggling on defense to help out Deselin.

“We gave up the zone in the first period,” Newtown Head Coach Paul Esposito said.

The Indians were on top 4-0 after one period. After such a blowout period, Newtown needed to come out with some life in the second.

“It’s tough to rebound from a four-goal deficit after only 15 minutes of play,” Esposito said.

Watertown/Pomperaug controlled the puck for much of the second period.While the Newtown defense tightened up a bit, preventing any more scores in the beginning of the period, the Indians were able to tick away precious time from the Nighthawks.

It wasn’t until halfway through the period that Newtown finally got on the board with a goal. Tucker Grose, a junior, got away with the puck and dished off a nice pass to senior Matt Wright for the goal. The shorthanded score sparked some life into the Nighthawks.

However, the Indians put a stop to any Newtown momentum fast

 Two minutes later, the Indians scored their fifth goal of the game, followed almost immediately by their sixth.

Then the third period came, and Newtown came out with some fire.

Oggeri scored four minutes into the period. Newtown wasn’t initially credited with the goal but the officials reversed the call.

With the little bit of delayed momentum off of Oggeri’s goal, Newtown came right back and Wright notched his second goal of the night to close the gap, 6-3.

For the locals, the well ran dry after that goal. And the Indians pulled away with their last three goals against senior backup Kyle DiNicola.

“Our defense was not on,” Esposito said. “Dylan Deselin didn’t get much protection at the onset of the game. Also, our defense needs to play the man and not the puck on attacks.”

The Nighthawks were scheduled to play rival Masuk in Danbury on Wednesday night (after The Bee sports section went to press).

The Nighthawks return to the ice when they visit Sheehan Saturday at 7 pm.

“This week we’ll address our defense collapsing and pressuring the opposition to the outside,” Esposito said after the loss to the Indians.